Samford University Men's Baseball

Shrout recently completed his 10 th season as a pitching coach at the collegiate level in 2016. Over the past three seasons at Samford University, Shrout played an immense role in the Bulldogs success as they averaged 34 wins per season, including back-to-back appearances in the Southern Conference Championship game.   Under Shrout in 2016, the Samford pitching staff led all SoCon teams in earned run average.  The Bulldogs also ranked in the top three in ERA in each of Shrouts three seasons at Samford.   Additionally, the Bulldogs staff has had at least one pitcher named First-Team All-SoCon in each of his three years. Right-handed pitcher Andres Gracia, a two-time all-conference pitcher, was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 22 nd round of the MLB Draft in 2014. Right-hander Parker Curry was voted First-Team All-SoCon by both the coaches and media in 2016, and led the Bulldogs in wins.   Shrouts other responsibilities at Samford include recruiting, assisting in academic progress, overseeing the travel budget and team scheduling.                 Shrout came to Samford in the summer of 2012 after spending the previous four years on the coaching staff at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. Shrout excelled as the pitching coach at Lipscomb and was promoted to the teams recruiting coordinator during his final season.   In 2012, Shrouts pitching staff recorded the second lowest earned run average in the schools Division I era, while his 2011 group set a record for the most strikeouts and finished the season ranked 18th in the nation in the category.   During his tenure at Lipscomb, three of Shrouts pitchers were taken in the MLB Draft. Right-hander Josh Smith was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 21st round in 2010 and was later named the organizations Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2011. Smith made his major league debut for the Reds during the 2015 season.   From 2006 to 2009, Shrout served as pitching coach for Division III powerhouse Birmingham-Southern College. In Shrouts last season at BSC, the Panthers pitching staff led the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in ERA and helped lead the team to its first SCAC title in 2009. At Birmingham-Southern, he was also in charge of summer camps, team travel, academic progress, and assisting with recruiting.   In historical fashion, Shrout recruited two players to BSC who were selected in the MLB Draft. Bruce Maxwell was taken in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics and Drew Leachman was selected by the Minnesota Twins in 2011. Maxwell has proven to be a high-riser in the minor league ranks and is currently competing in AAA for the Nashville Sounds.   In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Shrout was also the head coach of the Alabama Bombers for two summers (2008-09), and was the pitching coach for the Kentucky Baseball Club in the summer of 2006.   Shrout played four seasons at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. He is the schools all-time leader in ERA and is ranked in the top five in nearly every pitching category. Shrout graduated from Transylvania in 2006 with a degree in business administration with a concentration in finance.   Shrout married his wife, Lexi, in the summer of 2013. Lexi currently serves as the head softball coach at Hoover High School and the couple resides in the Birmingham area.